Toy



June 15, 19481 e. E. JOHNSON TOY Filed Oct. 29.- 1946 Patented June 15, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY Gladwin E. Johnson, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 29, 1946, Serial No. 706,415 2 Claims. (01. 46-132) This invention relates to toys and games, and

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will involve the use of a degree of skill in its operation, there by having the beneficial effect of increasing the powers of coordination of the child using the toy.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is adapted to serve either as a toy or game, in that one child may use it alone, or more than one child may use the device concurrently, in the latter case it being possible for the players to compete with each other.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which can be constructed inexpensively and simply, but which will nevertheless be of strong and durable formation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a climbing figure which is a part of the invention.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the invention, partly in section.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 and looking in the direction of the arrows, with certain parts of the device cut away.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the invention embodies a base 5 of substantially rectangular proportions, on which is mounted a standard 8, preferably formed of a length of heavy wire, which is of substantially inverted U-shaped formation, having a full turn intermediate its ends, being extended horizontally from said turn, and having straight side members downwardly and slightly outwardly extended, and having its ends embedded in the base.

There is also mounted on the base 5 a length of spring steel 1 which is secured to the base' intermediate the ends of the spring steel, and intermediate the embedded ends of the standard, to the base by means of screws or like secur- 2 ing means, and which is upwardly and outwardly extended from said intermediate point toward its ends, so that the spring action contained therein can be directed up each side member of the standard 6, said spring I being longitudinally slotted intermediate its side edges so as to permit the side members of the standards to be extended therethrough prior to being embedded in the base.

There are slidably mounted above the spring 1, on each downwardly extended side of the standard 6, figures 8 designed to represent climbing animals, which are constructed and arranged in a particular manner to be hereinafter described in detail. In addition, a bead 9 is slidably mounted on each side of the standard 6 intermediate the figures 8 and the spring I.

The head, arms, and torso of the figure 8 form a single body, and are formed from a single piece of material, said piece of material being formed so as to provide identical sides connected at points 9 and II, and a securing pin l0 extending be tween the sides at the head and servingin addition as eyes for the figure. At points 9' and H, as is clearly shown in the drawing, the material is bent around the standard 6 and is adapted for slidable movement thereon.

The figure 8 is further formed with a leg portion 12, which is also formed from one piece of metal having identical sides and a horizontal section l3. An elongated opening I3 is provided in the horizontal section l3, through which opening the standard 6 is extended, the leg portion I2 being adapted at this point for slidable movement on the standard,

The leg portion I2 is hinged upon the body piece, by means of a coil spring l4, the rear end of which is looped around a pin I5 extending between the sides of the body portion, and the front end of which is looped through an opening in the horizontal connecting parts of the leg piece, rearward of the opening through which the standard 6 is extended. In addition, there are cars l5 extending from the leg portion [2 at the upper rear corner of each side, which are .bent over upon the lower member of the body portion. By means of this construction, there is imparted to the leg portion not only a hinge movement but a tension setting up a binding action between the figures and standards 6, holding the figures 8 in place on the standard 6.

In operation, a figure 8 is positioned near the bottom of the standard 6. The spring I is pressed downwardly at its end and released. The bead 9 is thrust upwardly by the release of the spring I which in turn thrusts the figure 8 upwardly along the member or standard 6. The figure 8 is adapted by its construction, as hereinbefore described, to remain stationary upon the standard 6 at the point to which it is thrust by the head 9, due to the binding action between the figure and standard 6, as described, the spring 1 is repeatedly depressed and released, the bead on each occasion thrusting the figure ii a distance along the standard 6, regulated by the force of the spring I *whi'ch varies according to the tension of the spring caused by depressing and releasing the opening.

By its construction and placement of the coil spring [4, the figure 8 becomes automatically released if struck with too much zforce-bythelbead,-

9 and falls to the bottom, requiring a new start in order to be propelled to the top or the standard 6. It will be seen that this feature of thelinvention permits it to be used as a game, requiring a degree of skill in thrusting the figures to the top without their falling to thebottom and requiring new starts.

What is claimed is:

1.111 a toy orgameythecombination with a base ofan inverted U-shaped' standard having its ends embedded the base, a fiat spring secured to' the base intermediate the ends of said spring, said ends being upwardly and outwardly extended, said spring having longitudinal slots through which the side membersof the standards its ends embedded in the base, a fiat spring secured intermediate its ends to the base, the ends ;.'of the spring being upwardly and outwardly extended, said spring having longitudinal slots through which the side members of the standard :are.-'extended, climbing figures slidably mounted on the side members of the standard, beads intermediate the figures and the fiat spring, each figure comprising a body and leg portion, the

leg portion being hinged uponthe body; a coil spring having one of' its ends connected to the bodyand its opposite end connected to the leg portion, means embodied in the figuresv foryholding' the figures in raised position, and means embodied in the figures for automatically releasing said figures andpermitting their return when subjected to excessive force.

' GLADWIN E. JOHNSON. 

